Confirm my hitch is not properly setup

[JoeHTP]

I tow a 25' RBQ with an F150 Ecoboost. 1816 cargo and max tow package.

Took the fully loaded rig and truck through CAT Scale with these results:

With Reese WD bars on:

Truck Front Axle: 2900
Truck Rear Axle: 4040
Trailer Axle: 6140


With Bars in Truck Bed
Truck Front Axle: 2820
Truck Rear Axle: 4140
Trailer Axle: 6100

Truck with hitch and bars:

Front Axle: 3240
Rear Axle: 2740


Based on my read, it seems like my(dealer installed) WD hitch is not properly set up, and I need to go back to adjust it?

Thanks for the feedback!

[Dennis C]

I’d take it to somebody who really knows how to setup WDH hitches rather than listening to advice here. Most of what you hear on these forums is opinion, like most web forums.

Since you asked though, I’ll give you my opinion. It’s nothing more than an opinion. I agree with your assessment that the WDH needs some setup adjustment. It doesn’t seem to be redistributing much weight to the steer axle or the trailer axle(s). I like to see my WDH setup so that the weight is almost equally divided between the steer, drive, and trailer axle(s). My drive axle usually weighs a bit more than my steer axle, but not a large amount. My last CAT scale trip when fully loaded for camping showed 3,520 lbs. at the steer axle, 3,660 lbs. at the drive axle, and 5,580 lbs. at the trailer axles. Your setup isn’t even getting your steer axle back to the empty weight. For comparison, my truck’s empty weight on the steer axle is 3,320 lbs.

Good luck finding the right setup for your rig!

[Bill M.]

I think it would be good for you to learn how the hitch works and how to increase the weight transfer to the front wheels. On many hitches that is a simple adjustment. Lacking doing that, then yes to getting some one to adjust it to transfer more weight. See what the owners manual for the truck suggests for weight transfer. Find a manual for your hitch and read up on it.

[JJTX]

Originally Posted by JoeHTP

I tow a 25' RBQ with an F150 Ecoboost. 1816 cargo and max tow package.

Took the fully loaded rig and truck through CAT Scale with these results:

With Reese WD bars on:

Truck Front Axle: 2900
Truck Rear Axle: 4040
Trailer Axle: 6140


With Bars in Truck Bed
Truck Front Axle: 2820
Truck Rear Axle: 4140
Trailer Axle: 6100

Truck with hitch and bars:

Front Axle: 3240
Rear Axle: 2740


Based on my read, it seems like my(dealer installed) WD hitch is not properly set up, and I need to go back to adjust it?

Thanks for the feedback!

There's entirely too much emphasis put on "Scales" in this forum and it's quite annoying.

What's the TONGUE weight of your AS loaded up for the week?

Is assume you have more than one trailer axle but it seems to be you have only one axle weight.....6000LB seems a bit light.

My E2 hitch puts more weight forward with each washer added to the pivot point on the shank where it meets the hitch head. You may need another 'washer' ?

[Dennis C]

Originally Posted by JJTX

There's entirely too much emphasis put on "Scales" in this forum and it's quite annoying.

What's the TONGUE weight of your AS loaded up for the week?

You need a “scale” to answer this question.

What’s annoying about knowing your numbers?

[ROBERT CROSS]

I'm sorry if scale knowledge annoys the expurts.

How I do the Cat scales...no opinions proffered here.

Notice the Burb FA weight loaded and alone.

Now compare that with the weight when hitched with a loaded AS & WD set for traveling.


The idea being to return enough back to the steering axle for a safe & stable towing experience. A goal reached only by towing.

Note...The two other tickets are just for my peace of mind.

Bob
🇺🇸

[lemley]

My opinion? Not enough weight is being returned to the steering axle by the hitch.

There are a few good YouTube videos on hitch setup. This is my favorite…
https://youtu.be/ZHYTw9e5oIY

I, like many, found the scales to be my friend. But my major was physics and I like the numbers.

[wulfraat]

Shorten your chains 1-2 links and you’ll be fine.

You want about 100lbs more returned to that front axle. Not that big of a deal.

[richard5933]

Your steer axle is losing too much weight when the WD setup and trailer are attached, IMO.

[DCPAS]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

I’d take it to somebody who really knows how to setup WDH hitches rather than listening to advice here. Most of what you hear on these forums is opinion, like most web forums.

I tried this approach. I used two trailer shops with good reputations and neither result ended up right. Ultimately I decided that the best way to do this was to learn to adjust it myself.

Most hitch manufacturers state a target based on measuring wheel well or bumper height. A number of them set the target as being returning the front ride height 50% to 100% of its stock configuration. I think you can use CAT scales for a better result, but I used that range as a target. I tried several settings but settled on about 95% which has worked quite well.

Dennis is right about it being opinion, though. For instance, Ford's trailering guide would have you return less to the front axle. So, my setup is just my opinion.

[Dennis C]

My initial setup by my Airstream dealer was done by measuring the distance from the top of the wheel well/fender to the ground with and without the weight distribution bars engaged. I confirmed the effectiveness of the setup with different trips to the CAT scale.

Knowing when and how to adjust your system is important.

[dznf0g]

Originally Posted by Dennis C

My initial setup by my Airstream dealer was done by measuring the distance from the top of the wheel well/fender to the ground with and without the weight distribution bars engaged. I confirmed the effectiveness of the setup with different trips to the CAT scale.

Knowing when and how to adjust your system is important.

Bingo! I feel that many upthread are recommending too much WD. If your owner manual says to shoot for 50% of the front fender height to return (half way between measurement of "hitched/no-wd" and "hitched/wd"), that's where you need to be.

If you do the weighing, you will find that half-way point is right at 50% of weight return also. This assumes a PROPERLY loaded and equipped TV.

I am convinced, after very detailed weighing of my rig and loads, that my calculations are very accurate.

I am also convinced that over-WDing is the root cause of a lot of the front wall issues we are seeing. I have complete data now on that front separation/bulging issue. WD is a HUGE factor.

[thewarden]

Every rig is a little different in terms of how much weight to return to the front axles. My SUV likes to have 100% returned to the front axle, where my truck, like most trucks, seems to be best with about 50% returned to the front axle.

In both cases, I used the scales so I could determine exactly what the changes I was making to my WD were actually doing. Great peace of mind and you really only need to do it once. Once you know what the WD setting on your hitch is to achieve the proper weight transfer you will be pretty close from then on.

[JoeHTP]

Thank you for all the feedback from everyone. It does seem to me that I am not getting enough weight on the front tires, so I am going to make sure it's set up per manufacturer and Ford.

Originally Posted by richard5933

Your steer axle is losing too much weight when the WD setup and trailer are attached, IMO.

[nickjules77]

We had a similar problem with our set up. 2020 F150 max tow with eco boost and 1729 payload pulling a 25FBQ Globetrotter. In our case we have an equalizer WDH and the dealer used 5 washers by default where the instruction states
if your tongue weight is around 900 lbs you should start with 6 washers. I didn’t have the tools to torque 450 ft lbs to add another washers so I raised my L brackets on the trailer frame and brought my weights into limits. If I get around to it, I will add a 7th washer and readjust my L brackets but for now everything works great. We towed out west from the Grand Canyon to Yellowstone this past spring with no issues.

[Colossus]

Originally Posted by JoeHTP

Thank you for all the feedback from everyone. It does seem to me that I am not getting enough weight on the front tires, so I am going to make sure it's set up per manufacturer and Ford.

Op, glad you’re getting things worked out with your setup. I completely agree with knowing how your WD works is the key to getting it properly set up. With your payload possibly changing in just about every trip it can easily be a moving target (adjusting tension etc).

Just curious, how was it towing with your original set up? Did you feel a difference after making corrections?

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by JoeHTP

Thank you for all the feedback from everyone. It does seem to me that I am not getting enough weight on the front tires, so I am going to make sure it's set up per manufacturer and Ford.

Sorry, it's not JUST the mfg guide, it is your your rig, use the guidelines...but set it up for you, every combination is different.
I started with the GM guidelines, using measurements, then the CAT scales to confirm.
After several trips with different loading and several more weighings, I finally wrote the different adjustments down and marked my WD jacks.
Now, if the loading changes I can go to the corresponding mark on the jack.
The same can be done for most WD systems.

POI I haven't done the CAT thing in 4yrs.

Bob
🇺🇸

[Rfriebele]

I adjusted by feel and eye level..nothing against scales or numbers mind you..I've done a ton of towing. If the truck is capable and you don't go crazy loading,, a level rig seems fine to me. Initially, I was set up with too much weight going forward causing some undesirable porpoising bounce in the rear, I raised my hitch ball one notch and loosened my chains one link...perfect, level and works for me...I know my TV is capable & I always load with care. Maybe I'll get to a scale someday but after many years and 50+ thousand miles, I'm pretty confident I'm in the sweet spot.

[davidlbriggs]

Doing this initally with public scales is tiresome. You can get close by measuring wheelwell height. As a heuristic, on level ground, Measure the height from ground to the top of the wheelwell (not the top of the fender, but the top Inside of the well) at all 4 wheels. These 4 measurements should be within .25"of each other. In my 2015 f150 ecoboost lariat it is around 37" with trailer and 38" without. at any rate, Get these numbers as close to even as you can before darting off to the nearby truck stop.


This info is free And worth exactly what you paid for it.

[ROBERT CROSS]

"Tiresome" Now that's a new one.😂
I don't find once every couple years tiring at all.👍

Bob
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